Resonator for musical instruments



NOV. 2, 1948. A M, TYSQN 2,452,309

RESONATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed OCb. 9, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFI-caff RESNATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Archie Mitchell Tyson, Dallas, Tex.

Application October 9, 1945, Serial No. 621,203

4 Claims.

This invention relates to resonators for musical instruments and i-s designed more especially as an improvement upon the structure set forth in Patent No. 2,287,503, dated June 23, 1942.

An object of the invention is to provide a resilient resonator of simplied construction which can be more readily installed in a piano than can other devices heretofore devised.

A still further object is to provide a new and novel arrangement of a vibratory element so mounted that when the device is connected to the bass and treble bridges of a piano a more desirable and more pronounced sustaining tone is attained than heretofore has been possible.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a resonator connectable at its ends to the bass and treble bridges7 being mounted thereon, so as to provide a resounding strip or arch member extending between the bridges, the resonator being novelly mounted so as to be adjustable as to the distance between the ends of said strip or arch member and the respective bridges, whereby to color the resonance to the particular extent desired.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred -forni of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure l is a View of a portion of the soundingV board7 bridges and strings of a piano with which is associated the present improvement.

Figure i?. is a section on line 2-2. l.

Referring to the figures by characters of rei"- crence. i designates a sounding board of the usual construction and, as ordinarily, has a bass bridge and a treble bridge 3. Some of the strings oi the instrument have been indicated at S.

The present invention includes an elongated strip d formed preferably of hard wood and havn ing a longitudinal slot 5. Secured to the ends of this 4strip are anchoring pins E each of which, as clearly shown in Figure 2, is threaded for a portion of its length, and is smooth as to the remaining portion. The smooth portions are driven, as at 5', into smooth bores that are formed in the bridges in perpendicular relation to a line drawn longitudinally through the center of the bridges. Thus, the pins 5 are firmly and immovably anchored to the bridge-s, with their threaded portions projecting from the bridges. In this connection, the pins 6 are of such length as to support the strip 4 where the attachment will in no way interfere with the natural vibration of the strings.

The strip 4 is then mounted on the threaded portions of the pins 6, the strip having smooth bores formed in its ends in which the pins are received, so that it may slide on the pins, the pins constituting in effect a guideway for slidable movement of the strip thereon. The strip Il is then xed to the pins by means of spacing or lock nuts "l, that are threaded on the pins against opposed faces of the strip. Thus, the strip 4 is adjustable longitudinally of the pins, the distance between the ends of the strip and the bridges 2 and 3 being thereby increased or decreased as desired.

Extending lengthwise of the slot 5 is a coiled -spring 8 fastened at its ends to the respective end portions of the strip 4 as shown at 9 and this spring which is under constant tension, has its convolutions well spaced from the walls of the slot 5.

It has been found that by anchoring a device as herein described to the bridges of a piano so that it will be supported close to but out of contact with the strings, a sympathetic Vibration will be set up by the tensioned spring due not only to its proximity to the strings but also to the rigid connections between the attachment and the bridges. This sympathetic vibration produces a prolonged sustained tone which adds materially to the tone quality of the instrument and gives a result which is generally more pleasing than has otherwise been possible in instruments of this character.

By adjus-tably mounting the strip 4 on the pins as described above, the length of the arch between the bridges 2 and 3 that is formed by the pins and the strip is capable of being varied, so as to diminish or increase the resonant effects of the attachment, as desired.

While the improvements are designed primarily for use in connection with pianos it is to be understood that they can also be used to advantage in connection with some other types of stringed instruments.

What is claimed is:

1. A resonator for stringed musical instruments including an elongated non-flexible strip having a longitudinal slot, a vibratory spring held under tension within and longitudinally of the siot, the ends of the strip being each formed with a bore extending therethrough, anchoring pins extended through the respective bores and having their ends projecting therefrom, one end of each pin being anchored to a bridge of a musical instrument, and means for fastening the ends of the strip to the anchoring pins in positions of adjustment longitudinally of the pin-s.

2. A resonator for stringed musical instrumen-ts including an elongated rigid strip having a longitudinal slot, a vi-bratory spring held under tension within and longitudinally of the slot, anchoring pins connected to the ends of the strip, the ends of the pins projecting from the strip, means for xedly connecting one end of each pin to a separate bridge of a musical instrument, said strip bratory spring held under tension Within and lons gitudinallt7 of the slot, the ends of `the strip each having a bore perpendicular to a line drawn 1ongitudinally through the center of the strip, anchoring pins slida'bly positioned through the bores, said pins each having a Ithreaded portion and a smooth portion, the respective threaded portions being received in the bores, lock nuts threaded on the pins and threadable against opposed faces of the strip, whereby to rigidly connect the :strip to the pins in positions of adjustment longitudinally of the pins, the smooth portions of the pins `being embedded in separate bridges, the pins being extended from the respectiVe bridges in perpendicular relation to lines drawn longitudinally through the center of the bridges.

4. A resonator for attachment to the bridges of a piano, comprising an elongated non-nexible strip having a longitudinal slot, a vibratory spring held under tension within and longitudinally of the slot, rigid supporting means connecting the strip and each of the bridges, said means supporting the strip out of contact with the strings of the piano, `and means for adjusting the length of the supporting means, whereby to vary the distance between the strip and each or" the bridges.

ARCI-IIE MITCHELL TYSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,920 Heck Nov. 5, 1901 1,539,961 Scott June 2, 1925 1,588,730 Hessel June 15, 1926 

